In early March, NZ’s largest TS branch, HPB Lodge in Auckland, held an Open Day modelled after ‘TheosoFEST’, the hugely successful public event held annually at the National Centre of the TS in America. The Lodge made room not just for the TOS’s information tables and displays but the NZ Vegetarian Society’s as well. A number of Theosophists are active in the area of animal concerns, of course, either as private citizens or as members of a TOS group. The TS assists the Vegetarian Society by providing office accommodation for the Vegetarian Society's national centre, which greatly helps facilitate the work of the Society and also introduces new people to the Theosophical Society.

Old friends meet in front of the TOS’s stand: from left to right, John and Elizabeth Sell, Michel Chapotin, Renée Sell, Diana Dunningham Chapotin and Richard Sell.  All four Sells (and more members of the family!) are TOS stalwarts in NZ. Michel is the President of the TOS in France and Diana is International Secretary.

Another enjoyable collaborative activity took place at the National Convention of the TS last January. An autographed book by Joy Mills was raffled amongst members to raise funds for the TOS.  Over NZ$300 was raised in this one simple activity.

National TOS Coordinator, Renée Sell, took Convention guest speakers Dorothy Bell of Australia and Betty Bland of the USA to present Joy’s book to the winner, Fiona Brodie, a member of the Far North branch of the TS.  From left to right: Renée, Fiona, Dorothy and Betty.

Joy Mills is perhaps our longest standing TOS member worldwide. This is the third book she has kindly autographed for the TOS in NZ.

The NZ TOS held a session at the January TS Convention to talk about its activities and celebrate its tenth anniversary. Afterwards, participants went outside to mark the occasion with a group photo. 

The TOS has an hour-long session every year at the annual convention (in a prime spot) as well as a TOS presence through a book table activity and raffle. Elizabeth Sell has donated this acrylic on canvas painting for raffle at the 2015 Convention. It is called 'The Gift' and is 60.5cm high x 45cm wide.